Fundraising campaign benefiting Amnesty International launched in response to Blaze Pizza ambassador LeBron James’ support of China’s crackdown on Hong Kong protesters
Some things are more important than money, LeBron …
Tops on Pie Five Pizza’s list are freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and, well, the freedom to be free. Pie Five also believes that America’s foundational principles don’t stop at our borders. And they certainly aren’t for sale.
That’s why Pie Five is rolling out a limited-time Freedom Pie, a patriotic twist on the brand’s trailblazing customizable pizzas. Beginning Friday, Oct. 25, through Nov. 30, visit your favorite Pie Five restaurant and ask for the Freedom Pie – your own handcrafted pizza with all the fresh, unlimited toppings you love, either individual-size or a 14-inch shareable pie – and $1 will be donated to Amnesty International, the global organization dedicated to ending human rights abuses.
“Honestly, we were appalled when we heard LeBron’s callous comments that put his own business interests in China ahead of the human rights of the protesters in Hong Kong,” said Brandon Solano, CEO of Rave Restaurant Group (NASDAQ: RAVE), which owns the Pie Five brand. “But what was even more shocking was Blaze Pizza’s silence on the issue. So we decided to call them out on it, while stepping up to do our part to support the people who are risking everything in the streets of Hong Kong in their pursuit of freedom.”
Ordering a Freedom Pie is a unique way to stand up for what’s right while enjoying a delicious meal. It’s also an opportunity to remind those who remain silent or, worse, choose money over liberty, that Americans value freedom above all else.
To support the campaign, Pie Five created its first-ever national :30 commercial spot, which was scheduled to debut on ESPN during the Lakers-Jazz game tomorrow evening. However, late yesterday, Disney/ESPN rejected the spot.
“I realize Disney has a huge presence in China, but restricting our rights to free speech is a step too far. We will not bow to their censorship, our voice will be heard,” Solano said.
Pie Five will now release its commercial on Twitter during halftime of Friday’s Lakers-Jazz game. Follow twitter.com/piefivepizza to see the ad Disney, ESPN, China, Blaze Pizza and LeBron don’t want you to see, and to engage with the brand in a free and open forum.
Pie Five – the fast-casual brand known for trailblazing customizable pizza, not celebrity spokespeople – upgraded the way people eat pizza in 2011 when it introduced individual-sized handcrafted pies with fresh, unlimited toppings, made-to-order in less than five minutes, all for one affordable price.
Dallas-based Pie Five Pizza is a subsidiary of Rave Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RAVE). Rave owns, franchises and supplies more than 250 Pie Five and Pizza Inn restaurants operating domestically and internationally. Pie Five Pizza is the leading brand in the rapidly growing fast casual pizza space, offering individual handcrafted pizzas with fresh ingredients made to order in less than five minutes. The brand was named among Fast Casual’s Top “Movers & Shakers” for three consecutive years, 2015 “Best Franchise Deal” by QSR Magazine, 2012 Hot Concepts winner by Nation’s Restaurant News and one of “10 Hot New Restaurant Chains from Established Brands” by Forbes.com. For more information, please visit PieFivePizza.com.
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